Gov. Kay Ivey on Friday said Alabama will no longer wait for a missing child to be reported "abducted" for an Amber Alert to be issued.

“We need to protect the children of our state. Though we pray that an AMBER Alert is never needed, I asked Secretary Taylor to broaden the scope of our AMBER Alert requirements to safeguard as many children as possible,” Governor Kay Ivey said. “This change today ensures that we are keeping the public better informed. AMBER Alerts give all Alabamians the opportunity to be involved in caring for our most vulnerable asset, our children.”

The decision comes after an incident in Bessemer on Wednesday where a vehicle with a child inside was stolen but did not immediately qualify for the alert.

Ivey says the new policy will mirror federal Amber Alert guidelines and will help the state locate missing people.

Amber Alerts notify broadcasters and state transportation officials that a child is missing. The U.S. Department of Justice says that 800 children have been rescued because of the alerts as of Dec. 23, 2015.